Difficulty:

Easy

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Just plain fun"

I just flat out had fun playing this game. I've played immersive rpg's before that try to envelope you with story and choice. Fable 2 gives you lots of choice and a story, but it doesn't take itself too seriously. This is just an entertaining game that you can craft to fit your mood. The story itself is a little flimsy, but it's there. The truth is, aside from the "main story line" I spent most of my time making my own story. IE: crafting a character look and personality that fit my desires, buying property, obtaining jobs, getting married(twice), having kids, etc. Your character doesn't speak so that can be somewhat limiting. Instead the game uses an expression wheel allowing you to perform a large number of gestures to get your point across. This goes back to fable 2 not being too serious. There is a lot of humor in your interactions with the common folk of Albion. The gestures are funny/lewd and the people react appropriately. My favorite aspect of the game was the addition of a pet dog that follows you throughout your adventures. You can name the dog, train him to do tricks, train him to hunt treasure, train him to fight, and alter his appearance. I trained my dog(named "dog") quite extensively and grew very attached to him. I was just glad to have him around. Sometimes he helped out in battle and sometimes he found me some wonderful buried treasures. We became a fearsome team. Your character is infinitely customizable as well. The big difference is he changes based on your decisions. If you are too evil he looks the part, but if you are good then he will look pure. I stradled the line, playing somewhat the anti-hero role. My character ended up looking like a cross between "the crow" and "raziel" (of soul reaver). The world of Albion is very large and fun to explore. Most settings are beautifully rendered and color abounds. The music is a nice sweeping orchestral affair that fits the settings nicely. I did not experience any game glitches or major graphical flaws. The combat system is very simple and very fun. You get a perfect balance of close combat, ranged combat, and majic. Using them all in perfect harmony is a blast and makes your character feel amply powerful. Having said that, the difficulty is a little lacking. This turned out to be an addictive game for me. I was attached to my character, his dog, and the little world that I had created. I hated to say goodbye to it all when I finished the game.

Judgement: Compared to some games its a little bit shallow. It is also just plain old addictive fun and if you take the time you can craft a memorable experience out of it.